Sainsbury’s-Asda deal gets boost as UK includes Aldi and Lidl in competition probe
In September, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority announced an in-depth investigation of the £7.3bn supermarket deal
London — Britain's competition regulator will include German discounters Aldi and Lidl, and online giant Amazon in its market probe of the proposed takeover of Asda by Sainsbury's, boosting the deal's chances of being approved without a big sale of stores. In September, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced an in-depth investigation of the £7.3bn supermarket deal. Past probes have tended to focus on Britain's main supermarket groups. With the merger of number two player Sainsbury's and number three Asda set to overtake industry leader Tesco, a narrow definition of the market might have spelt trouble for the deal. The CMA on Tuesday laid out the key areas it will scrutinise, at both a local and national level — including groceries, purchased both in-store and online; fuel; and other items such as toys, small electricals and children’s clothing. "The level and impact of competition presented by newer or growing retailers — including Aldi and Lidl — will be considered a...
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